For almost as long a visible-wavelength lasers have existed, artists have been inspired to create stunning visual displays. These visual displays vary from multicolor forms and images projected onto a surface to large columns of light. Some implementations project a series of forms and images to create the illusion that the form or image moves. Many artistic implementations use a combination of static and moving forms and images as well as light columns to create their artistic vision.
Laser shows typically rely on stationary lasers pointed toward moving mirrors. As the mirrors move, the laser beams reflect off the mirror's surface and project to a specific location or in a specific direction. Various types of mirror movement are used to project an image, which is typically referred to as “scanning”. In conjunction with “scanning”, Laser systems may also use “chopping”, which is the blocking of a laser beam thereby creating a blank spot in a projected image or form, and “blanking”, which creates blank spots in a projected image or form by rapidly turn the laser on and off. “Chopping” and “blanking” separate line segments, curves, letters, and numbers.
Laser may also be used to create “atmospheric” or beam effects, in which an audience sees the laser beam as it moves through the air. This effect is due to Rayleigh scattering, which is the scattering of light, or other electromagnetic radiation, off small molecules in the air. Rayleigh scattering is the reason the Earth's sky is blue and the Sun has a yellow tone when viewed from inside Earth's atmosphere.
To understand the nature of laser light shows, one needs to have a basic understanding of lasers. “Laser” is short for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. The concept of a laser dates back to the late 1800s. In the early 1900s, Einstein proffered the theoretical physics behind the operation of a laser. The first laser was put into operation in 1960. Basically, a laser works when a light photon interacts with an electron thereby causing the electron to jump to a higher energy state. If another light photon “hits” the high-energy electron, the electron returns to its original low energy state by emitting two photons of the same wavelength. By repeating this process often enough, a laser produces organized, or coherent, photons, which then exit the laser in a column, or laser beam.
Laser light is different from daylight or electric light in that a laser emits only one wavelength, or color, of light. Daylight or electric lights generally consist of many wavelengths, where daylight generally contains every color in the visible spectrum. The light that comes from a laser is highly organized since a laser launches one wave at a time and in the same direction as the previous wave.
Dispersion and blooming are common effects on laser beams. Blooming is where a laser beam defocuses and disperses energy into the surrounding air. Blooming can be more severe if there is fog, smoke, or dust in the air. Due to the use of fog and smoke machines during a light show, it is common for a laser-based display to exhibit some dispersion effects.
Over time since its first production, lasers have been used for many different purposes. Laser surgery is now commonplace, where lasers are used to cut tissue or perform other medical procedures. Other uses of lasers include welding, scanning, and etching. Other implementations include weaponized lasers, where the lasers are used to indicate a target for the delivery of ordinance, or where the laser itself provides the destructive effect.
Modern laser light shows incorporate different lasers to gain different visual effects. Most lasers are narrow beam and are used to create images and simulated movement of those images. In conjunction with small lasers, larger lasers are used to add effect to the light show. These lasers are capable of outputting a single color beam. However, based on laser size limitations, the width of the beam, and the distance it travels before fading, is limited. What is needed in the industry is a large laser device capable of outputting a wide beam capable of projecting long distances and of producing multiple colors.